Starry
by insomnolence
Summary: "Time has run out and the price must be paid as the stars shine upon you and watch with deceiving intentions." (Also available on Wattpad.)
1. Foreword

_"Teach me your mood,_

 _o patient stars._

 _who climb each night,_

 _the ancient sky._

 _leaving on space no shade,_

 _no scars,_

 _no trace of age, no fear to die."_

 _—_ _Ralph Waldo Emerson_


	2. Prologue

**THERE WAS DARKNESS.**

A thick cloak of nothingness, so much, that he couldn't even tell if his eyes were open or closed.

Percy wanted to scream.

Visions, some that had happened, some that hadn't, flashed before his inner eye as the air burned his lungs, the heat blistered his skin and all he could make out were tortured moans and whispers in his ears.

 _I'm back... oh Gods, I'm actually back._

The panic that came with the realization crawled up his throat, taking over every sense of his and engulfing him in a sudden helpless state.

But unlike the first time around he was alone, trying to find the main reason he was living for, but she was gone.

And it felt so suffocating.

His greatest fear was his greatest strength, his own element seemed to have left him and while the darkness seemed to last forever, he knew it couldn't possibly do so.

He still remembered having just kissed Annabeth goodnight, smiling at her and leaving for his own cabin - she'd sneak in later - and yet, he was nowhere near Camp Half-Blood now.

And he wouldn't be for a long time.

* * *

 **so this is just the disclaimer: I do _not_ own this series, nor have I ever, nor wil I ever**

 **(even though I wish I did)**

 **(on second thought, I don't; I'd be way too lazy and too much of a procastinator to write any books)**

 **so this is the beginning and I hope you liked it :) leave a review telling me your thoughts (constructive criticism welcome!). this is also available on wattpad as (my username is inspiringwords12 and for original stories, insomnolence). this fanfiction is set after BOO (I haven't read any of the new books; shame on me!)**

 **-flaminia**


	3. Chapter I: Percy Jackson

**"IT'S LATE.** _ **TOO**_ **LATE, YOUNG HERO."**

The nothingness that had resided a few seconds before, was now replaced with a beautiful, lulling voice touched by innocence, softness and such utter understanding that seemed beyond any kind of comprehension.

Percy had the sudden urge to open his eyes and lay his gaze on the girl slowly running her fingers through his hair, and softly stroking his cheek in vertical movements. He wasn't alarmed in the way he should have been; it felt like a comforting gesture with good intentions of calm and peace. He tried opening his eyes, moving, doing anything really, but his body seemed to ache and burn with an exhausting passion that made every attempt futile.

"It's late. _Too_ late, young hero. It's late. _Too_ late, young hero," she murmured for the umpteenth time in an unsettling tone of worry and mourning.

 _Too late for_ what _?_

"It's late. _Too_ late, young hero."

There was silence. Her hands stopped moving but stayed in place. The only things signaling they were still there: the bare pressure were they lay still and the patch of warmth and refuge from the cold air they represented on his freezing skin. Percy had the suspicion that she was trying to settle an inner turmoil; a debate on wether or not she should do whatever she was going to do. Her fingers took up movement again and he knew she had come to a decision.

" _Beware the stars. They fool and trick and steal you_ ," she whispered the warning into his ear, her fingers' touch gone and only a faint warm breeze in her place.

* * *

He could only see stars.

Thousands of them dancing along the sky in a bright, fascinating and so mesmerizing trance. Immediately an image of Annabeth ranting on and on about the different constellations and their myths came to mind.

 _Annabeth._

Oh Gods, he missed her.

The thought of her cunning stormy gray eyes, princess blonde curls and pink soft lips left an ache in his heart that made it hard to breathe and think.

 _No_ , Percy thought, _get it together. You won't be able to figure out how to get home with a clouded head... Where am I anyways?_

"The universe, of course."

Percy was stooped with surprise.

He tried to whirl around in order to identify the person who had spoken, only to realize he couldn't. He was a kind of ghost, a spirit, a soul just floating in space with no physical anchor to keep him grounded.

 _Well, Nico would be handy right now._

But as it turned out, he realized that he didn't need to move since it seemed like the mysterious being was only a voice with no face nor body, but only its gender to represent it. It was that of a man's. Rough, deep and seemingly ancient.

Despite himself, he felt trivial compared to all this vastness and beauty.

Just a tiny speck in the sea of stars.

"For you can never leave it."

"Who are you?" Percy asked, voice raised, though it probably came out more of a demand than a request for knowledge.

"I am forgotten. Not of significance. At least,  
not to most."

 _A name would have sufficed_ , Percy thought with measly annoyance.

"What am I doing here?"

"You, on the contrary though, are vital," the voice continued, Percy's questions cast aside. "Your fate has been set for a long time and it is entwined with that of many - if not all - others."

Now, Percy really was getting dizzy. His fate? He just wanted to wake up from whatever kind of messed up dream this was, not receive a fortune telling session from a creepy voice.

"I- I don't understand. My fate? My fate is my own. Plus I'd like to think, that I've already done my part in saving the world. Gods know I've done enough."

He heard a chuckle resonate and Percy bit down a few nasty comments.

"Ahh, we both now it is foolish to think that a demigod, never mind of your heritage and of your achievements, will ever be truly free of the grasp of be it monsters, Titans, Giants, Primordials or the Gods themselves. Young hero, the world is always struggling to keep the balance of right and wrong, good and evil stable. You are to face fears and obstacles worse than you could even begin to imagine."

A bitter taste made way in Percy's mouth. He wanted to laugh at this ridiculous suggestion. He could fathom some pretty horrible things.

"Don't be unwise," the voice chided. "You are powerful. Though how you choose to wield what you possess, is your decision alone."

Percy wanted to groan in confusion, but bit his lip to keep from doing so. His head hurt, spun and pounded with pain as his vision blurred and all this while he tried to make sense of what he had been told.

"Our time is up," the voice drew with a sigh as if having looked at a watch attached to his wrist and seen their meeting had to come to a saddening end. "Farewell, hero. Farewell."

And once more, Percy was engulfed in darkness.

* * *

It was cold and wet.

The earth under him was uncomfortable, sticks and stones pressed into his skin and rain droplets fell from the dark stormy gray sky.

 _Wait... rain?_

Percy gasped and sat upwards in alarm. His skin was wet, his fingers wrinkled from the moisture and his hair soaked as he shivered, teeth chattering.

"I'm _so_ going to catch Hypothermia," Percy mumbled to himself, swallowing down the panic that was trying to push (more like shove) its way up his throat.

It was dark, the sky spewing rain and he laid by a creak, the trees around him towering eerily like monsters going for the kill.

He would know after all.

"Alright. Alright. Calm down. What would Annabeth do?" Percy questioned himself, breathing shallow and eyes closed, whole body still shivering from the unbearable cold that was starting to manifest itself deep in his bones as he imagined her serene face.

He smiled and for a second he could imagine her lips on his.

But, the fantasized scene was soon stolen from him and replaced with panic once more.

 _What the Hades is happening? How long was I out?_

It was Déjà Vu. But, unlike with Hera, he had his memories and he had a feeling that none of this had been done by any of the gods. Which was more terrifying than Percy would have expected it to be. At least then he had a vague idea of who was doing this to him and why. Now when he tried answering any of those questions, he drew unrelenting blank spaces.

Percy felt utterly useless; the water drops against his skin were anything, but comforting and calming as he sat there, hyperventilating, as he once again felt the after effects of all the scars and memories, he had attained throughout the years.

So, he sobbed.

He felt so broken and unable to function, he couldn't pull himself together. He was alone, vulnerable, _weak_ and his façade had been stripped from him, leaving him bare.

 _"_ What do you want from me?! Tell me!" he screamed, tugging at his hair, shaking his head as if driven mad by the ghosts haunting him.

"I- I just want to be done," he whispered in defeat.

He sniffed and wanted to hit himself for breaking down and giving into the dark things he felt.

He couldn't let go.

He couldn't move on.

And he was starting to think he would never.

* * *

 **disclaimer: there's this guy named rick riordan, who, to say the least, is a troll, but we people love him anyway, for he has given us these amazing people, and, yeah... suffice to say, I'm not him**

 **so... that was mysterious and depressing all in one (yay...).** **thoughts?**

 **I will try to make longer chapters, but I don't want to stretch it too much, so they might be short like this sometimes.**

 **thanks guys for reading!**

 **-flaminia**


	4. Chapter II: Percy Jackson

**THE FACT, THAT HIS POWERS WERE ACTING UP, WAS CAUSING PERCY MORE GRIEF THAN HE'D LIKE TO ADMIT.**

He had tried to make small waves in the creek, sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing and it frustrated him to no end how they seemed to randomly decide wether to function or not. His skin wasn't waterproof anymore, and if he could still breathe underwater was an unanswered question, one that troubled him the most. His irrational fear of drowning had become exponentially worse, even though it was an absolutely ridiculous one to have.

Or at least it used to be.

He shook with fear, panic shoving its way up his throat every minute or so. And yes, while he was a good sword fighter, he needed his powers nonetheless, especially since this forest was a hive of monsters. Or, at least, that's what he assumed.

After all, he _was_ a son of The Big Three and to add to that, most monsters hated him for... well, killing many, _many_ monsters.

So, yeah he was infamous.

Pushing that troubling thought aside, Percy still couldn't figure out where he was and why. He felt cold, the light glint of Riptide in his hand cutting through the darkness, just like it did many monsters and he tried not to let his mind wander to his moment of weakness earlier.

How could he let himself break down like that?

Whoever was keeping him here, had seen the 'oh-so-amazing' Percy Jackson, 'savior of Olympus' at his breaking point.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid_ , he chided himself.

He took a deep breath, trying and failing to calm himself and decided to wonder about how much time had passed and if anyone had already noticed he was gone, instead.

 _Annabeth is going to kill me._

Percy winced, guilt weighing on his heart. How could he do this to her? She'd probably already gone into his cabin, seen he wasn't there, searched for him and come to the conclusion he was gone. Again. He'd left her - even if he hadn't done it on purpose.

 _As long as we're together_.

A pang of pain shot through him.

He could imagine her going into complete 'search-for-Percy' mode, one she sadly had.

Annabeth was so strong, so brave and so intelligent, but he was worried about what would happen if no one was there to see through the façade she wore.

One she only took off for him.

Percy was torn out of his thoughts, when he heard a cutting sound. At first, slow, almost non-audible, but then louder and more frequent.

His head shot toward a tree on his left.

An invisible force was carving something into the bark.

An... arrow? One pointing into the direction he had come from.

 _Great, I've been going in the wrong direction._

Percy wanted to bang his head against the tree.

But, where were these directions going to lead him?

He inwardly hoped to any of his friends. He'd even take Clarisse.

He sighed and decided that he would have to go where the arrows told him to.

 _I better not regret this._

But, knowing his luck he probably would.

Percy got moving again, following the directions the freshly carved arrows would give him. He seemed to be delving further into the forest as the temperature seemed to drop and it somehow got even darker.

"Damn it."

Percy almost wished for monsters. Then he'd be able to do something he knew how to. But, instead he got something, that was more Annabeth's specialty. (Then again, anything was Annabeth's specialty.)

He'd had arrived at a clearing, at the outskirts of it, rocks. As if they had shot out of the earth, they towered above Percy's head, like a wave about to crash, but frozen in the air. Words were carved into the stone, slightly... glowing?

 _Forth you shall go_  
 _The land of the ethereal awaits_  
 _Beware the souls_  
 _Beware your fate_  
 _The hero must face alone_  
 _Wether to seize or destroy the throne_

Alright, maybe not as much a prophecy, but a riddle.

Then again, maybe Percy could figure this out. After all, he had had his fair share of the nasty little poems.

 _The land of the ethereal? Beware the souls, fate? Seize or destroy the throne? What throne? The throne of Olympus?_

 _This is giving me one Hades of a headache,_ was the only thing Percy concluded after a while. He ran his fingers across the carvings, which had started to glow a hot white.

"What are you trying to tell me?" Percy muttered, ignoring the fact he was pretty much asking a stone to solve all his problems. So, he sat there, leaning back and feeling fatigue wash over him. He wasn't in the mood for whatever game this person was playing with him. He wanted to go home, he wanted to be with Annabeth, with his friends. He wanted to finally have _peace_.

Like lead his eyelids started to droop, exhaustion taking its toll on him, dragging itself through him. His instincts screamed at him to keep his eyes open, to not let, whatever was happening, happen.

But, he was already out cold.

* * *

 **disclaimer: (do I have to put this in every chapter? I'm just wondering) I do not own this amazing book series (I swear I get so jealous of rick sometimes; he thought of this amazing story line and characters; I want that talent so badly!).**

 **I hate dragging out chapters, so I have to leave it at this.**

 **I suck, I know, but I didn't want to wait forever to update. I mean, that would be worse, right?**

 **feel free to tell me what you thought of this chapter!**

 **'till next time**

 **-flaminia**


	5. Chapter III: Percy Jackson

**PERCY WAS SICK AND TIRED OF BLACKING OUT.**

It seemed to have become a habit for him, one that was usually reserved for Jason to have. After all, he had to get back to camp from wherever the Hades he was. He couldn't waste anymore time. He wanted to go back home. He missed his friends and he missed Annabeth and sadly he had a prophecy to bring back too - one he hoped didn't involve him, but come on, when didn't they?

Percy was about to recite it to himself, when he suddenly became dizzy. The world seemed to shake and blurr and then, in an instant, everything faded. All thoughts dissolved.

Percy felt like he was floating. Like nothing was keeping him grounded in the real world, but instead just somewhere in his consciousness. It was a kind of ethereal feeling. All the pain, all the taunts and all the memories had gone.

He felt... calm.

Is this what dreaming was supposed to feel like?

A refuge from when one was awake?

Come to think of it, Percy wasn't really thinking of anything.

He just _was_.

In an endless space of darkness, of nothingness, he felt comforted and shielded, any thoughts that would have usually been provoked non-existent. It gave him a fulfilled feeling as if he had done his job by just _being_. As if it didn't matter what he had done, because here he was just an essence, a miracle, a product of two people. And then Percy realized, that he was a miracle by just existing.

But, of course, that didn't last long.

Suddenly, as if ripped out of the most wonderful dream, the beautiful feeling of just _being_ disappeared and Percy was awake again.

Everything crashed onto him, all the pain, all the memories and he felt hopeless again.

"Why does everything always have to hurt?"

Percy sat up and rubbed his eyes. The air around him was humid and moldy and the foul stench made him gag.

"Gods, is Smelly Gabe here?" he muttered.

Why he insisted on using humor to hide how he was crumbling inside, was beyond Percy. It reminded him of how Leo used to do the exact same thing and a pang of pain shot through him. He missed the little Latino, his impossible ADHD and his terrible jokes.

Percy blinked away the tears and took in his surroundings.

It was dark.

Then again, the fact that it was should have been expected. The darkness had seemed to become one of Percy's biggest fears. One, he constantly had to face.

He could literally see nothing and as he tried to feel for walls around him, nothing as well. He got up and reached around more, but still nothing. He started walking, even running through the darkness, but all he had was the cold, hard, stone floor.

Percy started to panic.

He fumbled for Riptide, only to find the sword was gone.

"Fuck."

He stumbled forward again, desperate to find something solid, but he was just met by the horrid smelling air again and fell to his knees. The inevitable ball of panic, that had been building up ever since he had been gone from home, was finally too hard to control and it overcame and consumed him, like a wave washing upon the beach. He crawled around, his breath shortening, scenes starting to flash before his eyes.

Death.

Blood.

Screams.

All the people that had died, all the people he had disappointed.

All, because of the failure, that was _him_.

Bianca.

Beckendorf.

Silena.

Damasen.

Bob.

Even little Bob made his heart ache.

Leo.

So many more.

Too many to count.

And then... Annabeth?

A battle was raging, but the only thing he could see was her.

Her head lolled to the side, bloody and utterly white. Grey eyes wide open, her once beautiful face almost completely covered in blood and bruises. Her hair burned at the edges and full of grime and dirt. Her right arm was twisted in such an unnatural way, it made Percy feel sick.

And then a dagger, that had caused slashes all across her skin, stuck in between her ribs, buried to the hilt.

She'd already been long dead.

Percy screamed.

He fought for breath, stumbling back from the scene.

"Stop it! Stop it! Fucking leave me alone!"

He stared horrified as Annabeth straightened, her face still looking... dead.

"You did this to me, Percy. You left us, you left _me_. You could have saved us, but you didn't."

She paused.

"Maybe you never cared. Maybe you will finally find peace in knowing we're dead, because of you. _All, because you're too weak, too slow, too useless._ "

Percy wanted to tear his eyes away, but they were glued to her lifeless ones.

"Goodbye Percy."

He wanted to scramble towards her, call out to her, but he only watched silently, tears streaming down his face, as the scene faded, taking what was left of his resolve with it.

* * *

 **disclaimer: not my characters :( I love them as if they are though; does that count for something?**

 **this was really sad. I love percy jackson so much, it's not normal**

 **did you like this chapter? any criticism? tips? theories?**

 **hoped you enjoyed this!**

 **p.s. the next chappie has a different p.o.v.; any guesses?**

 **-flaminia**


	6. Chapter IV: Annabeth Chase

**ANNABETH WAS GOING TO KILL HERA.**

Yes, she was aware, that she couldn't actually _kill_ a goddess, but she sure as hell could try.

"Maybe he just went out for a swim, after all he has been doing that a lot lately. Or he went for a walk... Yeah, that's probably it," Annabeth rambled on, pacing in Cabin Three, trying to calm herself, when all she wanted to do was break down.

Her stomach was in knots and she felt a ball of panic building in the pit of her stomach.

This night was not going how she'd planned it.

She had sneaked out of her own cabin and gone to Percy's, just like she did every night.

Percy, being the seaweed-brained boy he always was, thought no one knew, but everyone did. Except maybe Chiron, since he would probably not turn a blind eye so easily.

Annabeth laughed, thinking of when a few from Camp Jupiter had come to visit and Frank had gone to get Percy for breakfast. The look on his face, when he found them asleep in Percy's bunker was priceless.

Tears prickled at her eyes and she cursed herself.

She hated being so dependent on someone, but Percy was...

Well, Percy was everything to her in a way.

The term boyfriend just didn't suffice.

"Just check the lake, Annabeth," she suggested to... well, herself.

 _I'm going crazy._

"I think you are too."

Annabeth whipped around, hoping to see unruly black hair and beautiful sea green eyes, but instead she came face to face with Nico.

"Oh Gods, you scared me!"

 _I'm losing my touch, I really have to be more alert._

The son of Hades chuckled and gestured around him, "Well, you are standing in a cabin, that isn't yours, in the dark."

Annabeth rolled her eyes and turned on the lights, illuminating the messy Poseidon cabin.

Nico's pale face was overwritten with exhaustion and Annabeth felt concern bubble inside her for the fourteen year old.

"What are you doing up?" she asked, observing his tired sluggish movements as he stalked across the lumps of clothes on the floor, - were those Nemo boxers? - shrugging and then plopping onto Percy's bunk.

"Nightmares," was all he replied in a pained tone, that said 'I would really like to _not_ talk about it', so Annabeth left it alone.

"Where's Percy?" Nico finally asked, confused by the missing of the actual occupant's presence.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"He's gone. Maybe he's... at the lake or something," Annabeth muttered, but she couldn't have looked convinced by her own words.

Nico smirked.

"I don't think he'd go to the lake, when he has you coming."

Annabeth blushed.

"Come on, let's look for him," he suggested, after probably seeing her grief stricken face and Annabeth felt a rush of sisterly affection for the broody teenager.

* * *

"I'm going to kill him."

"Well, get in line Thalia, I'm going to gut him like a fish, when he gets back," Annabeth huffed.

They sat around the pingpong table, Chiron's hooves clapping against the floor mixing with the chatter of the teens.

"Children, calm down."

"Hey, Annabeth where's Aqua Man?"

"Connor, shut up."

"Okay."

"Why are we here? Honestly, all of you losers can go scram. This is such a waste of time."

Piper sighed, distain in her voice as she shook her head at her half-sister, "Honestly, Drew? Shut your trap. No one cares for your opinion."

All she got in return was a scoff.

The hot summer sun seemed to be shining brighter than usual, the effects of the heat already wearing Annabeth down, agitating her further.

"Quiet!"

The kids calmed down, Chiron patiently waiting for even the last voice to go silent.

"Alright. Annabeth, what are the means of this?"

Annabeth bit her lip and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Well, it might be nothing, but I can't find Percy anywhere."

The room burst into questions.

"Again? For real, that boy has to be chained to something from now on."

"Damn, he's just that unlucky."

"Haha, lol! Fishboy got himself into trouble again. Killing tons of monsters does have its bad sides."

"Will all of you just shut up?!" Thalia raised her voice, eyes blazing with annoyance, the room immediatly quiet again.

Jason cleared his throat. "He couldn't have just disappeared," he stated, the words coming out as more of a question as he pushed his glasses up, blue eyes flitting across every person in the room.

Annabeth let out a bitter laugh.

"He sure as hell could and has. Again." She muttered under her breath,  
"What have you gotten yourself into this time Seaweed Brain?"

"Who could have taken him this time?" Nico asked.

Annabeth looked around to see if anyone had a suggestion, only to notice them all staring at her, asexpecting the answer and she shrugged.

"I wish I knew, but I don't. I mean, Percy isn't exactly a popular nor unknown person, when it comes to monsters. Anyone could have done it."

"So, it's safe to assume, that Percy didn't happen to go on a trip to his mom or something?" Will asked, shooting her a small sad smile as if trying to cheer her up and give her hope.

She smiled back and shook her head.

"Alright, so Perseus has gone missing again. If he does not return in a few days, we shall we send out a search troupe," Chiron concluded the meeting.

Annabeth grimaced and nodded to herself.

She knew it was unlikely, but she hoped he would be back before those days were up.

 _You're an idiot, Percy. But, you're still my idiot and I hate losing things._

 _Especially the most important ones._

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, etc.**_

 _ **so that was it for the fourth chapter. short i know, but eh. hope you liked it :)**_

 _ **-flaminia**_


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